Rubber band "Awareness Bracelets".....

Do you wear any? What does yours signify?I think everyone wears and recognizes the solid yellow one from Lance Armstrong's "Livestrong" against Cancer....I wear 3. One is the YELLOW Livestrong, one is a solid GREEN one in support of my brother being a Cancer Survivor of Head and Neck Cancer, and I wear a third one that is multi/rainbow colored. I got it at Columbus PRIDE back in June and will wear it until January 20, 2009......What do you wear and why?

I wear a purple one for the Wildland Fire Fighters Association and Club 52. These groups are there to help wildland firefighters with bills when they get injured. They also help out immediate family when a firefighter dies at the job.

I don't wear. Why? Because it's better to educate than wear a prop given after donating money or time. It's a waste of funds that charities should put towards reaching a cure. I know for ya'll and others it's a way to easily show support, but I'd rather just mention the days and events and get a discussion going.

I hate it when I see these charities that say, "And with your donation of $'?' or more, you'll get this commemorative '?'" I just think about how the money used to purchase those items, even at the special discount, could be used towards a cure. Also, they sell some for charitable purposes as well. Why cant people just donate. That's the problem I have with it...why do we have to get something out of our contribution, aside from hope that if we have to deal with the disease some day, the results could differ positively from others? It's not the charity's fault though, it's that people aren't generous enough to make a selfless donation. I'm not saying that any of you aren't selfless, it's just that they have to waste funds with those that aren't.

I'm not saying it's foolish or wrong to represent a cause, or to use it as a conversation starter, I just wish people could put the funds used for those bracelets towards helping the cause. As an accounting clerk, I've paid the bills for those bracelets at charitable rates - they aren't cheap. So, I'd recommend to all out there, to forget about the bracelets and just donate. You don't need a bracelet to start the conversation or represent your cause, just talk to people about it.

looknrnd saidI don't wear. Why? Because it's better to educate than wear a prop given after donating money or time. It's a waste of funds that charities should put towards reaching a cure. I know for ya'll and others it's a way to easily show support, but I'd rather just mention the days and events and get a discussion going.

I hate it when I see these charities that say, "And with your donation of $'?' or more, you'll get this commemorative '?'" I just think about how the money used to purchase those items, even at the special discount, could be used towards a cure. Also, they sell some for charitable purposes as well. Why cant people just donate. That's the problem I have with it...why do we have to get something out of our contribution, aside from hope that if we have to deal with the disease some day, the results could differ positively from others? It's not the charity's fault though, it's that people aren't generous enough to make a selfless donation. I'm not saying that any of you aren't selfless, it's just that they have to waste funds with those that aren't.

I'm not saying it's foolish or wrong to represent a cause, or to use it as a conversation starter, I just wish people could put the funds used for those bracelets towards helping the cause. As an accounting clerk, I've paid the bills for those bracelets at charitable rates - they aren't cheap. So, I'd recommend to all out there, to forget about the bracelets and just donate. You don't need a bracelet to start the conversation or represent your cause, just talk to people about it.

Ah, yes....I can hear it now, right out of the blue ...."let me tell you about my prostate cancer" ...

Caslon8000 saidAh, yes....I can hear it now, right out of the blue ...."let me tell you about my prostate cancer" ...

There are always events going on in most areas to bring up the subject and, yes, personal experiences do help. Do you think a colored bracelet will guilt someone into donating? No. Telling them about a real story could only increase the possibility of a donation of funds or time. People need to stop wearing shirts and getting those damn mailing lables and just talk about it. An educated donor is a constant donor.

I wear a rainbow coloured "Pride" one, a blue one with the URL for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to show support for the police force and a multi-green camo one with the recruiting number for the Canadian military on it to show support for people in the armed forces. And also so that if I don't get into the RCMP, I'll have the number for the military handy as another possible option to investigate. All I know is if I can't make a living writing political speeches, I want a job with a gun. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but the sword lets you shower with other guys while it pays the bills

Caslon8000 saidAh, yes....I can hear it now, right out of the blue ...."let me tell you about my prostate cancer" ...

There are always events going on in most areas to bring up the subject and, yes, personal experiences do help. Do you think a colored bracelet will guilt someone into donating? No. Telling them about a real story could only increase the possibility of a donation of funds or time. People need to stop wearing shirts and getting those damn mailing lables and just talk about it. An educated donor is a constant donor.

Oh, stop being a tool ... ... there's not a damn thing wrong with those bracelets

Caslon8000 saidAh, yes....I can hear it now, right out of the blue ...."let me tell you about my prostate cancer" ...

There are always events going on in most areas to bring up the subject and, yes, personal experiences do help. Do you think a colored bracelet will guilt someone into donating? No. Telling them about a real story could only increase the possibility of a donation of funds or time. People need to stop wearing shirts and getting those damn mailing lables and just talk about it. An educated donor is a constant donor.

Oh, stop being a tool ... ... there's not a damn thing wrong with those bracelets

...

Well, I cant deny a cute puppy sticking out his tongue at me...maybe you could get on all fours and stick out your tongue for me, Caslon!

I'll wear those bracelets when I attend related events. I don't wear them at other times, and in fact wear no jewelry at all except for evening dress-up.

One funny exception: shortly after my late partner & I got together, we wore matching gold rings with 6 gems in the rainbow colors. While checking into a hotel during our honeymoon trip, the desk clerk noticed his ring.

"Oh, what a lovely birthstone ring!" she exclaimed. "So you have 6 children, and all born on a different month!"

I fled around the corner from the front desk so I could laugh, leaving my poor partner there to deal with her. I returned when I had composed myself, only to have the clerk say to me:

"Oh, I see you have 6 children, too!" I almost choked, but it got worse.

Next she checked her computer to confirm our reservation for a handicapped room, saying to my partner:

meninlove saidRed Vespa, you gotta start compiling these into a book like Erma Bombeck did - they're gems!!!

Thanks! I enjoy telling true stories that often entertain, just like my late father did, no doubt what got me started. But since many of mine are about gay subjects, and are sometimes sexual as well, I doubt they'd have the same large audience as Bombeck and ever interest a publisher.